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Dear Friend,
Welcome to our quarterly newsletter
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Let’s practice democracy: Vote November 4th This is a reminder to all Adhikaar members, allies, and friends who are eligible to vote in New York City’s upcoming election: Tuesday, November 4, is Election Day. Here’s where you look up your poll site. This is an incredible opportunity for Nepali-speaking communities to put democracy in action. See the voter resources in Nepali and English, here. |
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What You Should Know about Temporary Protected Status (TPS) In August, the U.S. government terminated TPS for Nepal, placing over 7,000 Nepali TPS holders at imminent risk of detention and deportation. The impacts will be tremendous: many families in Nepal will likely lose remittances that have been their livelihoods, and mixed-status families will be divided, with some family members forced to return.
Adhikaar is not giving up. Since the announcement, Adhikaar has been working with impacted TPS holders to stabilize the safety and health of their families. Our rapid response efforts center domestic workers, nail salon workers, and other vulnerable working-class immigrant community members. Support has included numerous legal information sessions in collaboration with nonprofit legal partners and Nepali law firms, and “Know Your Rights” (KYR) clinics that have provided individualized support on alternative immigration options and status changes.
Take the story of Devi Nepal, who arrived in the U.S. in 2014 on a student visa and eventually received an H1-B sponsorship as a Business Analyst. When the pandemic hit, he was able to secure his TPS status because he entered the U.S. before 2015; however, his wife and older child were not eligible because they joined him after the eligibility date. Devi shares, "Returning to Nepal is not an option. My youngest son, who was born in the U.S. and is now 5 years old, has been receiving therapy as he has autism. He has made tremendous improvements. We could not imagine our dear son getting proper medical care in Nepal. The prospect of family separation is very real, fearful, and frightening for us if my wife and my older child are not able to get TPS through redesignation."
As a long-term strategy, we are exploring the viability of a Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) and a new TPS designation campaign connected to the recent political crisis in Nepal. We are also sending a formal public letter urging the U.S. government to provide humanitarian protections, and we are organizing in advance of a hearing on November 18. |
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Nanny Training Resumed this Fall, Building Base for Fights Ahead
In the fall, Adhikaar kicked off its newest cohort of nanny training, with eighteen Adhikaar members in attendance. The training, developed with Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, called "We Rise", helped Adhikaar members develop new skills, including outreach, facilitating meetings, and public speaking around the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights. The impact has been significant: through greater knowledge of their rights, members have negotiated higher wages and better working conditions. In addition, Adhikaar organized its "We Make History" series that offers a history of domestic work in America, from slavery to the present. Our members are living proof that organizing can lead to meaningful changes, individually and collectively.
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Power in Numbers: Celebrating Budgetary Wins There is power in numbers, as evidenced by budgetary wins achieved by Adhikaar and our movement partners who secured resources for immigrant, AAPI, and working-class communities across New York. Through the Equity Budget Coalition, co-led by the Coalition for Asian Children and Families (CACF) and the Asian American Federation (AAF), $30 million was allocated to support AAPI communities. Adhikaar’s share grew by nearly 40%, reflecting our expanding impact and leadership. In addition, Adhikaar received City Council Discretionary funds under the Day Laborers and Domestic Workers category as a key affiliate of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA). Together with the RISE Network partners led by AAF, we continue to advocate for increased discretionary funding from the New York City Council to strengthen legal services and case management, especially now as working-class communities face deep financial uncertainty.
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Movements Need Joy: Recap of Dashain and Tihar Every social movement needs joy, light, and something sweet. This fall, Adhikaar celebrated its annual Dashain on October 5th, with over 250 people in attendance. We received blessings from our eldest community members, plus greetings from Congresswoman Grace Meng, Assemblymember Steven Raga, and the staff from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s and the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. Community partner Accompany Capital shared resources on Small Business Services at the event. We also celebrated Tihar, Nepal’s festival of lights and honoring of all beings, on October 26th, led and facilitated by Adhikaar youth. Catch up with pictures from these beautiful gatherings. |
